Musical instrument.



No. 734,802. PATENTED JULY 28, 1903 G. H. BLAIR.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

urmouxon IILED DBO. 1. 1902.

NO MODEL.

WITNESSES: INVENTOH I aearyejf. Blair A TTOHN E Y6.

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' UNITED STATES ZPatented July 28, 1903.,

PATENT ()FEICE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,802, dated July 28, 1903. Application filed December 1, 1902. Serial lilo. 133,311. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. BLAIR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in musical instruments and has particular application to mandolins.

In carrying out my invention I have in contemplation the provision of a musical instrument, especially a mandolin, which shall have an increased sweetness and power of tone over the ordinary instrument of this general type.

A further object of the invention is to so construct or shape the top of the instrument that the ordinary ridge shall be discontinued along the basssection of the top, thereby permitting the vibrations to travel uninterrupted along the entire bass-section, which will give greater strength and volume to the tone.

As is well known, mandolins as ordinarily constructed have a ridge extending transversely across the top thereof, and the bridge of the mandolin is placed upon or immediately adjacent to such ridge. I have found that when such ridge is extended entirely across the top of the mandolin the vibrations of the bass side, which, as is well known, are slower and of less power than those of the treble portion of the instrument, have not sufficient power or force to cause adequate vibration of such top. Therefore I have devised a top wherein the aforesaid ridge extends but a short distance across the treble portion of the instrument, such ridge gradually broadening and flattening until on the bass side of the ridge such ridge has disappeared and the aforesaid bridge rests upon an arch, the construction being such that the whole top will be put into vibration.

With these and other objects of a similar nature in View my invention consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described in this specification, illustrated in the drawings, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a top plan View ofa musical instrument embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the top, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a similar section of the treble portion of the top, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings, Where an embodiment of my invention is shown, the letter A designates a musical instrument, in the present instance a mandolin of the ordinary type, having a top, as at 1, which top forms the main feature of my improvement. As will be seen in particular by reference to Fig. 1, an acute ridge or angle is formed, as at 2, on the right-hand or treble side of said top, transversely thereof, by the converging of the front and rear portions of' said top. In that portion of the top immediately in front of this ridge is an ordinary sounding hole ,or orifice, as at 3, and extending under the top of the instrument from a point approximately at the extreme outer end of the ridge diagonally at a point near the extremity of the bass end of the mandolin is the 'ordinary sounding or bass bar, as at at. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.) The aforesaid acute ridge extends transversely of the top from the treble side and gradually slopes and flattens until at the bass side of the top there is an arch formed, as clearly shown at 5. It will be further observed that my improved top is made wider and fuller upon the bass side and narrower upon the treble side, thus giving longer unbroken fibers upon such bass side and facilitating the ease with which the instrument may be played by enabling the performer to reach the higher position as the hand is moved when toward the bridge 6. Again, it will be observed that I locate the sounding-hole in the right-hand side of the top, thus providing a longer bass side and permitting the finger-board to run as high as required without obstruction, which constrnction will give several extra tones to each string. This feature I consider of great importance, as it is a marked advance over other instruments of the class to which my invention relates.

An instrument provided with a top constructed in accordance with the above-recited description is possessed of extraordinary tone and sweetness, and, as hereinbefore stated, the power of such tone is greatly increased. The top may be readily and cheaply manufactured, and while I have shown itin the 5;, present instance applied to a mandolin still my improvement is also applicable to any stringed instrument of this general type.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters rm Patent- 1. In a musical instrument, a top having an acute ridge extending transversely thereof to a point approximately its center portion, such ridge gradually sloping into an arch at the is; opposite side thereof.

2. In a musical instrument, a top having a ridge formed integral, transversely of the treble side thereof, said ridge gradually sloping until aswell or arch is formed on the bass 2: side thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. In a musical instrument, a top having a ridge formed integral therewith on the treble portion thereof, such ridge gradually sloping until a swell or arch is formed on the bass 2; side of the top, and a sounding-board secured to the under surface of said top and extending diagonally between the treble side and the bass side, substantially as set forth.

4. A musical instrument having a top o formed with an acute ridge on the treble side thereof, and asounding-hole located adjacent to said ridge, such ridge gradually sloping until an arch is formed on the bass side of the top, substantially as set forth.

5. A musical instrument having an acute ridge formed transversely'on the treble side of the top, such ridge gradually tapering or sloping to an arch on the bass side thereof, a sounding-orifice in saiditop, a bass-board extending beneath said top, and a bridge mounted on said top,substantially as set forth.

6. A top for musical instruments, such top being relatively shorter en one side of the central longitudinal planethan on the other, a ridge formed integral with said top transversely of the shorter side and extending to a point approximately central of the top, such ridge gradually sloping and flattening until the relatively longerfportion of the top is formed with an arch or swell, substantially as set forth. a

7. 'A top for musical instruments, such top being relatively shorter on one side of its central longitudinal plane than on the other side, a ridge formed transversely on the narrower side and extending to a point approximately central of the top, such ridge gradually slopiug and flattening until the relatively'longer portion of the top is formed with an arch or swell, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationlin the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

A. E. GALLAGHER, R. RROGERS. 

